


The Cobblepot's: Rise of an Empire

by Frostyunicorn300



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: F/M, and i roll with them, but I don't, help me, i cant turn off my brain, i really think i should do homework, it just happens, sometimes I don't even know what I'm doing, sometimes i just get ideas
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-29
Updated: 2017-09-06
Packaged: 2018-11-06 12:51:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11036547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frostyunicorn300/pseuds/Frostyunicorn300
Summary: Isabel thought she was an only child, an orphan. Her mother, Gertrud Kapelput gave her up for adoption, she was unable to care for both her and Oswald and thought that Isabel had a better chance at life this way, but it turned out to be the opposite. Taken in by Don Falcone at 13 she learns a little more about Gotham then she planned.In school she meets Ed Nygma and in university they study Forensics together, which has disastrous results.





	1. Chapter One

18 years ago. 

Isa stood in line with the other 7 year olds, her blonde hair was curled and she wore her favourite pink dress with a bow in her hair. The potential parents, Felicia and Mark Larsen stopped to look with and talk with the other children, there were three girls and 5 boys. The woman, Felicia made her way to Isa.  
Isa stood a little straighter and smiled as big as she could. The nun in charge of the group pulled the woman away, she began whispering to her. Felicia frowned and shook her head, turning to her husband. "Whats wrong?" He asked.  
"Sister Ricci told me, that one." She gestured to Isa, who was looking at her shoes. "Has problems." The husband sighed and they moved on to the boy beside Isa. His name was Tomas, he was blond like Isa, with chubby cheeks and a gap toothed smile. Felicia began to coo at him. "Oh, Mark isn't he perfect?" She asked.  
"Yes, he is."  
They talked for a few minutes. Felicia looked at Sister Ricci.  
The nun nodded, "well, come to my office. We'll sort out the paperwork."  
The adults left and the kids went back to the playroom. Tomas had to go to the bathroom but insisted on going himself. Isa waited a few minutes before starting to climb the stairs. "Isabel." She turned to see a nun standing there with her hands on her hips. "Yes, Sister Morello?"  
"Where are you going?"  
Isa stood with her hands behind her back. "To get my doll, I promised Jenny that I'd let her play with it today." Sister Morello nodded and waved upstairs. "Okay go."  
Isa continued to climb the stairs. But there was no doll to show Jenny, she had something else in mind. Isa hid behind the doorway and waited for Tomas to come back. He started for the stairs, he took a few steps down, Isa showed up behind him and pushed him down the stairs with a grunt, she held out her arms to stop herself from falling. Isa heard a crunch and then she saw blood, she was scared at first, she didn't mean to push him that hard but then she shrugged.  
Humming a little tune she skipped to her room and then she heard screaming. 

       •.            •.          •.  
Isa sat in the GCPD precinct, kicking her feet as she waited for the detective. A man with tan skin sat beside her on the bench. "Hello Isabel, I'm Detective Dix."  He handed her the grape juice box she requested but Isa didn't say a word.  
"Why did you push Tomas?"  
"I don't know." She said sipping her juice box.  
"Isabel, please, don't make this more difficult."  
"Isa." She said.  
"Pardon me?"  
"I like to go by Isa."  
Dix sighed and shifted. "Okay, Isa." He sighed. "I want you to be honest, why did you push Tomas?"  
"Can I go play in the snow?"  
"No."  
Isa grumbled and crossed her arms. "I was jealous."  
"Jealous that he was going to get adopted."  
Isa nodded, "I didn't mean to push him that hard, honest."  
Dix sighed. "Well due to your age we cant send you upstate. So you'll be sent to a foster family and will be monitored until further notice." 

         •.            •.         •.     

Isa walked into her foster home and was greeted by a large barking dog, startled she bumped into Dix.  
A stern looking woman came out of the kitchen.  
"Isa this is Anne Pavlov, she will be your foster mother."  
The woman said nothing but just looked Isa up and down. "She will do." She said in a thick Russian accent.  
"Go, upstairs, I left door open."  
Dix took Isa up the stairs and into her room. It was bare, there was only a bed, a desk and a dresser. Dix put her suitcase on the beige bed. Isa turned to him.  
"Do I have to stay here?" Isa asked.  
"I'm afraid so." He said kneeling down and putting a hand on her small shoulder. "But I bet it wont be all bad, hmm? She seemed nice."  
Isa nodded, "I will try."  
"Good. If you ever want to talk, give me a call." He stood up and handed her his card.  
"Okay."  
He left the room. Isa sighed and started putting her clothes in the dresser, the colours of her dresses stood out against the dull wood. Isa changed into a lemon yellow dress and matching headband and went downstairs.  
The woman wasted no time giving her chores.  
"You, clean." Anne thrusted a broom at her. "But I don't know how." Isa protested.  
"Then learn!"  
The dog in the corner growled. 

Anne walked up to Isa a little while later with measuring tape.   
"What are you doing?" She held the tape to her head and it dropped to her feet.  
"1.34 meters." The woman took the broom and handed Isa a bucket of cleaning supplies. "You can fit in small places. Go, clean the attic." 

 

For the next 5 years, the woman used Isa as a personal maid, fed her boring meals and used her dog to keep Isa in line.  
Shortly after her 12th birthday Isa had enough, she packed a backpack and snuck out the window. The snow seeped through her shoes, it was cold but Isa didn't mind. She walked into the city, slightly amused by the twinkling lights, it was just after Christmas. 

Isa didn't know where she was going or where to go, she lost Dix's card so she couldn't call him.  
She walked into an alley and found a small little nook and crawled inside, wrapping the small blanket she took with her around her body and laid down.  

She woke up to the sound of people yelling and glass breaking and car alarms roaring.  
Tucking her blanket inside her backpack she started walking again. 

She would come and go from the Narrows, buying and selling goods she would con off of rich people.  
But even she couldn't deny that she wasn't lonely.  
She barely went to school anymore, she was to far from her elementary school in North Gotham and didn't have any money for a cab or bus. Isa sighed and leaned against a brick wall, she slid down and sat there for what seemed like hours.

 

•. •. •. 

One year later.  
Wednesday September 13th  
3:54pm  
Its raining. 

Isa was walking to no where in particular. It was pouring rain and a boy took her umbrella so now she was soaked to the skin, blonde hair stuck to her forehead. A black car pulled up beside her, the back window rolled down. "Excuse me, miss?" Isa turned to face the man, he looked in his mid 60's with a kind but hard face. "Yes?"  
"Would you like a ride?"  
Isa bit her lip and nodded, he opened the door and she got inside.  
"I'm sorry, I'm getting your upholstery wet."  
"Don't worry about it, I'm Carmine Falcone."  
"Falcone...the Carmine Falcone?"  
"Yes, whats your name child?"  
"Isa, Isa Kapelput."  
"Its nice to meet you Isa. Where do you live?"  
"No where." Isa hesitated. "I'm a...street kid."  
The driver looked back and Falcone nodded, he started driving.  
It was silent for a moment.  
"Are you in school Isa?"  
"No, I cant, my school is in the north district and I live in the Narrows."  
It was silent in the car for a moment. Falcone spoke up, "Isa, would you like to come home with me?"  
Isa blinked. "Are you serious?"  
He nodded. "The house has been empty ever since my wife died and my son went to college."  
Isa was quiet but smiled and nodded, "yes, thank you." 

 

The house was large and beautiful, with many windows and slightly Victorian in design. "Wow." Isa said.  
The driver parked the car in the garage.  
"Come, Isa."  
Falcone led her inside the house. "Now, you'll have to stay in a guest room until one is set up for you, what colour would you like?"  
Isa thought for a moment. "Yellow."  
Falcone smiled. "Yellow it is. There is a bathroom attached to your guest room, why don't you go clean up and get warm, we'll have dinner in an hour." 

Isa put her backpack at the foot of the bed and walked into the bathroom, it was white and delicate looking. Isa caught sight of herself in the mirror. She had grew a considerable amount since she entered the foster home. Her skin was pale, icy blue eyes stood out against the dark circles. Her hair no longer held curl, it was straight, dull and lifeless against her head. Her lips were, she found, overly plump and her nose slightly beak-ish. Most would argue that she was a pretty girl but she didn't see it, not at the moment.  
Isa sighed, undressed and went into the shower.  
She dressed, simple jeans, t-shirt and hoodie. She towel dried her hair, braided it and went downstairs.  
Falcone was sitting at the dinner table, a first course of garden salad sat at the table. "Hello, my dear."  
"Hi." She said a little awkwardly and sat down.  
Its been a long time since Isa ate anything with real flavour.  
"Is it not to your liking?" Falcone asked.  
"No, no." Isa insisted. "Its just been...a while since I had a salad."  
Falcone nodded and they ate in silent.

During desert Falcone put his napkin down. "I've made some calls, while you live with me you'll continue your education at Anders."  
Isa put her fork down. "Anders? Like the prep school? The rich kid school?"  
Falcone nodded. "You'll start Monday."  
"But-" she started.  
"I got ahold of Detective Dix, you remember him?"  
"Yes."  
"He will deliver your records and the paperwork needed for me to become your official guardian."  
Isa looked at Falcone. "Why me? I mean there are plenty of other-"  
"I told you, I was lonely and there you were, the streets is no place for a young lady. Now, off to bed, you'll need to get your uniform and needed school supplies. Your old school gave me the list of classes you were taking. Its all taken care of."  
Isa jumped up from her chair and hugged Falcone. He gave her arm a pat. She let go and backed away. "Thank you." She said before walking to her room.   
Once behind the closed door Isa jumped around excitedly and cried. 

                •.      •.      •. 

The car pulled up at the front door, Isa tugged at her bow tie.  
"Must I wear this Carmine?" She complained. Falcone allowed her to call him Carmine, since as of Saturday he was her legal guardian.  
"Yes, its part of the uniform." Her uniform was a light blue button up, with light blue socks, navy pleated skirt, navy cardigan and blazer with the Anders crest on the left breast pocket. Her bow tie was gold and navy blue.  
Isa nodded and looked down at her black penny loafers. She gave Falcone a quick hug before grabbing her bag and leaving the car.  
Isa walked into the office.  
"Hello, I'm Isabel Kapelput, I'm supposed to be starting today." The woman looked at the blonde. She handed her a piece of paper. "Your schedule." Isa looked at the paper, in the morning she had gym in gymnasium b.  
English level 8 in room 32c.  
Mathematics level 8 in room 12a.  
Fine arts level 8 in art room c.  
Lunch.  
Geography level 8 in room 35b.  
Music level 8 in music room a.  
History level 8 in room 20a.  
Science level 8 in lab 2.  
Isa looked on the back for a map, but there wasn't one.  
"Um, I don't know where to go." The woman nodded, "you've been assigned a guide, shes in all your classes." Isa turned around and saw a tall redheaded girl. Isa smiled and walked up with her hand out, they shook hands. "Hi, I'm Isa."  
"I'm Marina Connolly."  
The girls left the office. "So we have gym first?" Isa asked reading the paper. Marina nodded. "You'll like Mrs. Bennett, shes tough but nice." Isa nodded.  
Marina led Isa to the gym. "So, what brings you here?" She asked when they entered the locker room, the inside was soft pinks and yellows and smelled like sweat and dozens of different perfumes trying to cover it, Isa scrunched up her nose. Isa took her gym clothes from her bag and stepped in a shower stall to change. "Um." She said, almost yelling. "Ugh, Hold on." Isa changed into her gym clothes, sports bra, blue and gold shorts, blue tank top. She stepped out and sat on the bench to put on her black runners. "I grew up in an orphanage, got into foster care, became a street kid, now I live, legally, with Don Falcone." Marina's eyes widened. "No way." She said sitting down on the bench, she wore the same gym uniform as Isa. "Way." Isa said, putting her blonde hair in a ponytail. Isa stood and they walked into gym class, there wasn't any boys, just girls.  
"Welcome back girls, I trust you had a good weekend." Mrs. Bennett said, Mrs. Bennett was a skinny, middle aged woman, with brown hair and bright blue eyes. "Before we get started, we have a new student." She gestured to Isa. "This is Isabel Cobblepot. Make her feel welcome."  
"Kapelput." Isa said, "its pronounced Kapelput, and don't call me Isabel please." Isa said, in a sickly sweet voice. "I prefer Isa."  
The woman blinked, "right, yes, of course. I apologize, Isa."  
She smiled at the teacher.  
"Now." She continued, "we'll be going outside and doing some sprints today, in groups of..." she counted the girls. "Groups of 5."  
She looked at her clipboard. "Samantha, Jane, Aubrey, Anne and Leah. You'll be group one. Lucy, Jackie, Karen, Emma, Layla. You're group two. Um, Shannon, Grace, Lonnie, Marina, Isa. You're group three. Zoey, Natalie, Hannah, Lily, Stella. Group four, and, Melanie, Ashley, Lana, Gabrielle, Nora, you're group five." Marina took Isa's hand and lead her towards the group. "Isa, this is Lonnie, Shannon and Grace." Isa waved shyly. "Hi."  
"Hey, I'm Aolani but people call me Lonnie." She was equally as short as Isa, her black hair was dip dyed blue, she has brown skin and brown eyes.  
Shannon shook Isa's hand, Shannon was tall like Marina with Strawberry blonde hair, blue eyes and a large chest.  
Grace bounced right up to Isa, her hair was done up in double buns, her skin and eyes were as dark as her hair. "I'm Grace, but people call me Gracey." Shannon looked confused, "no one calls you Gracy."  
"Shut up!" Grace hissed and went back to smiling at Isa.  
There was a blow of a whistle and it startled the girls.  
"Okay, enough chit-chat! Outside." Their teacher motioned to the door. 

 

Isa and Marina walked into English, she sat next to a lanky boy with brown hair and glasses.  
On the top right corner of the chalkboard the teacher had his name written, Mr. Rhode.  
He went up and down the rows and placed a copy of Romeo and Juliet on each desk. When he reached his own desk he turned around excitedly. "Shakespeare." He said with a grin. "Can anyone tell me who he was? Anyone? Anyone?" Isa rose her hand. "Ah, yes, Miss Kapelput," she lowered her hand. "William Shakespeare was a poet, a playwright and an actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist." Isa said, sitting up straight, quite proud of herself. Her teacher slammed his hand down on his desk. "Yes! Yes! Exactly. Miss Kapelput, can you tell me his date of birth?" He asked. Isa thought for a moment, "um, no one knows the exact date of his birth but he was baptized on April 26th 1564. He died on April 23rd 1616, he was 52."  
Mr. Rhode clapped his hands. "How marvellous! Now Romeo and Juliet!" He turned around and started to write, Isa went into her backpack and pulled out her notepad and a pen. 

Mr. Rhode had the idea to read the play out loud. He put character names in two bowls, one for female characters and one for male. He passed them around the room. "Now, these will be your parts indefinitely." He stopped at the boy beside Isa. "Mr. Nygma, if you will." Ed put his hand in the bowl and pulled out a name. "Romeo." He said.  
"Excellent." Mr. Rhode finished Ed's row and went down Isa's.  
"Mary." He said to the girl in front of her. "Lady Montague."  
He passed the bowl to Isa. "Juliet." She said.  
"Wonderful."  
The rest of the class was cast, some had double parts of the smaller characters, Marina played Juliet's Nurse.  
"Let us begin. Chorus, if you please." A small boy began speaking. "Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,  
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.  
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes  
A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;  
Whose misadventur'd piteous overthrows  
Doth with their death bury their parents' strife. The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love,  
And the continuance of their parents' rage,  
Which, but their children's end, nought could remove, is now the two hours' traffic of our stage;  
The which if you with patient ears attend,  
What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend." 

 

•.    •. •. 

Isa walked out the door with Marina, there was the driver in a black car, in the backseat she could see the silhouette of a man. She waved goodbye at Marina and entered the car. Falcone smiled. "How was your day, my dear?"  
Isa smiled excitedly and gushed about her day. "Oh it was wonderful, I already made friends, my teachers are amazing, I play Juliet in English class..." she went on and on the whole ride home.  
Once inside the house Falcone turned to her. "I have a surprise for you." He said. He lead her into the drawing room, in the middle of the floor sat a large pink box. "I'm away a lot, on business and sometimes I forget how big this house is." Isa opened the box and screamed, well not really screamed, just excited. Inside the box was a golden retriever puppy. She had a pink collar around her neck. Isa scooped up the dog and turned to Falcone.  
"Carmine...this...I...thank you."  
He smiled. "You're very welcome my dear."  
Isa looked down at the dog. "I'll call her, Odette."


	2. Chapter Two

Isa heard giggling and closed her locker, her new friends were standing there in their cheerleading tryout uniforms. "What?" Isa asked.  
"Is it true?" Grace asked.  
"Is what true?"  
"That you, and Nygma, kissed in English class?"  
Marina rolled her eyes, "Grace she had to, they played Romeo and Juliet."  
Isa nodded, "yeah, I had too, for the scene reenactment." She sat down on the bench and put her sneakers on.  
"But how was it?" Aolani asked, "I mean, have you ever kissed a boy before?"  
Isa sighed and stood up and grabbed her pompoms, they started walking into the gym, "how could I enjoy it? I mean I barely know him."  
They sat on the bench and waited for their names to be called.  
"But you had to right?" Shannon asked. "He may be weird but he's not ugly either."  
"But the riddles." Grace commented.  
"I like the riddles, and he's really sweet." Isa said, "I just don't know him very well."  
They all went up one by one, alphabetically by last name, Marina went first, then Grace, Aolani, Isa, and finally Shannon.

The next day Isa walked into English and sat in her normal seat next to Ed.  
"Hi." He said, Isa looked at him he was smiling at her, eyes twinkling behind his glasses. Isa smiled awkwardly, "hey." She said.  
"Everyone has it and no one can lose it, what is it?"  
"A shadow." She whispered, he smiled at her, "would you like to go to the library with me?" He asked, Isa smiled at his nervousness. "Why?"  
"Well, we have a paper on Shakespeare and no one knows more about him then you-" he stumbled over his words, Isa cut him off with a chuckle. "I know a lot about Shakespeare because I adore his work, but yes, I'd love to go to the library with you, is lunch okay?"  
"Lunch-lunch is perfect." He turned back to the front of his desk. Marina tossed a wad of paper at Isa, she turned around and mumbled 'what?'  
'You and Nygma.' She gestured before giving Isa a thumbs up. Isa rolled her eyes and turned back around.  
All throughout class Isa caught Ed sneaking smiles in her direction.  
She felt his eyes again in math class.  
He wasn't in her arts class so she didn't have to turn around and share awkward smiles with him. But at lunch she bought an tuna sandwich and chocolate milk from the cafeteria before joining Ed in the library, he found a table in the back of the room. He was reading a book on Shakespeare and scribbling something in his notebook, Isa sat down across from him, he looked up at her and seemed surprised. "What?" Isa asked, opening the sandwich container.  
"I didn't expect you to show up."  
"Sorry, long line."  
"Oh."  
Isa smiled, "so what's our paper on again?"  
"His life from start to finish."  
"Did you know he left his wife his second best bed?" Isa asked, amused.  
"Really?"  
"Yeah."  
Things were quiet for a minute before Isa saw his lack of lunch. "Your not eating?"  
"I'm not hungry."  
Isa chewed on her lip and slid the other half of her sandwich to him. "Oh no, I couldn't-"  
"Its fine, I had a big breakfast."  
He nodded and took the sandwich.  
"So." He asked, "where are you from? I mean your surname, Kapelput, it sounds very European." Isa laughed, "I'm not sure actually, I never knew my parents."  
"Really?"  
"Yeah, I grew up in an orphanage but now I live with Falcone." She said, not getting into the details.  
Ed changed the subject, "uh, what was Shakespeare's wife's name again? It seemed to have slipped my mind."  
"Anne Hathaway."  
They spent the lunch hour getting to know each other more then working on their paper. When the bell rang Isa started putting her books away. "I gotta go to Geography, I'll see you in History." She left the library.  
Geography was a bore, as always. It wasn't Isa's favourite class, that wasn't until last period. Isa always had a flare for science, it was something she understood, and science understood her.  
When she got to History she took her spot beside Shannon. This time however it was her turn to look at Ed, since he was in front of her in the next row over. He was cute if you get past the dorky awkward exterior. Currently they were talking about the Russian Revolution, when their teacher announced the topic Isa nudged Shannon, Shannon's last name was Volkov. When Isa started taking notes Shannon teased her about how organized she was, she would create boarders around words, arrows, symbols, everything was colour-coded and her writing was so small and neat.  
After History was music, Ed was in this class to, he played piano while Isa played the cello. Occasionally they would steal glances from each other, sometimes Isa would smile and try to focus on the music.  
Their science teacher changed the seating arrangement due to a few disruptive boys who couldn't sit together without being obnoxious, and of course he put Isa and Ed together. He waited five minutes before speaking. "Do you believe in fate?" He asked, she looked at him, "no, not really."  
"You can see me in water, but I never get wet. What am I?"  
"A reflection."  
Ed laughed, "I'm going to stump you one of these days."  
"You can try."  
The lesson today was about life, the characteristics of living things, plant and animal cell structures, unicellular and multicellular life, structure and function of human cells. The works. Ed watched Isa talk notes, he was amazed at her writing, it was clean, small and all the letters looked the same, she even knew calligraphy, using it for headings and subheadings. She caught him looking, "what?"  
"I'm sorry, its just your writing..." she smiled, "practice."

 

In the fall they had a stable friendship, Isa had made the cheerleading squad which made it sometimes difficult for them to hang out after school but they still had the entire weekend. Kids in her year picked a nickname for Isa, it stemmed from a girl in gym class pointing out how much Isa looked like a bird, so they gave her the name Birdie. Most of the time it was used negatively, most was all the time if we're being honest here, and Isa hated the name, it made her insecure about her appearance entirely. Her friends including Ed tried to make her feel better about her appearance. To try and fix it Isa got straight bangs and straightened her hair, but somehow that made it worse, she didn't go to Falcone about it, she didn't want him sending in people to deal with a situation that she could handle on her own. But during one instance Ed tried standing up for her but got beat up instead. 

When high school started it didn't stop, it got worse then last year.  
In the ninth grade Isa was given the option to take a dance class, where she learned she had talent and a flare for it, ballet more specifically so when she got home she asked Falcone to get her into classes, the ballet mistress was reluctant at first to let her in "too old." She had said, but with a bit of persuasion she took Isa into her class.

Isa sat at the fountain with her friends, talking about her classes at this really fancy studio when a group of boys walked past flapping their arms and cawing at her, "hey little birdie! Why don't you sing for us?" Isa lowered her head and they laughed. She tugged at her cross-tie, undoing it. Shannon put her hand on her shoulder, "don't let them get to you."  
Isa chuckled, "its kind of hard considering its been happening for months."  
Ed ran to them, looking slightly disheveled and glassed crooked. "Eddie." Isa stood up.  
"I'm fine, its nothing."  
"Ed-"  
"It's nothing." He insisted.  
"Okay, its nothing."  
They went over science notes for their test next class.  
Isa and Ed were at the top in all their classes, which angered other smart kids and not as smart kids, basically they weren't liked very much. Isa didn't go back to cheerleading because of the teasing, instead she joined the gymnastics team, it was hard, she wasn't as flexible as the other girls at first or had the core strength but she worked at it and was exceptional, they won regionals twice and nationals once, however Isa was slightly body conscious in the outfits but she pushed it aside, one competition was held in one of the gyms at Anders, Isa couldn't drown out the sound of the boys teasing her, calling her birdie, chirping, cawing and flapping her arms, she messed up a flip and sprained her ankle. She wasn't going to object having Falcone send someone to scare the boys or teach them a lesson, she had to quit the team, her ankle was to messed up and she had to walk with a slight limp. But she continued her dance lessons, she had the doctors prescribe her a strong pain medication and got an ankle brace for when it hurt to much. Her senior year rolled around and she was determined to make it amazing, she had a halloween party, joined student council, planned her senior prom, had a birthday/Christmas party, she even went to prom with Ed, aa friends of course. Ed and Isa graduated top of their class and were valedictorians.  
Isa skipped the after party, she invited Ed over to her house instead.  
They could see the stars from where Falcone manor was, so Isa and Ed went on the roof to stargaze. Isa went to change from her blue dress into an oversized yellow sweater and jeans, she exchanged her heels for oxfords, Isa let her hair down, when she felt more comfortable she grabbed blankets and food, and went up to the roof, they laid down looking at the sky.  
"What are you doing in the fall?" Isa asked suddenly.  
"I don't know, I applied to Gotham University but I haven't heard back yet, what about you?"  
"Falcone got me into the science program, forensics if we're talking specifics."  
"I applied for the science program too, forensics if we're talking specifics."  
They shared a laugh.  
"Do you think we'll be friends when we go off to university?"  
"Yeah?"  
"What about the girls?"  
"I don't know, I mean we're friends but I don't connect with them."  
"Really?"  
"Yeah, they're just people I talk too, I mean we have nothing really in common."  
"And we do?"  
Isa moved until she was laying on her side, he followed.  
"Yeah, we're both smart kids with issues." She said, they stared at each other until they were interrupted by Odette, the dog shimmied her way in between the two of them, they lavished the pooch with attention.  
"Are you gonna live on campus or at home?"  
"Home, you?"  
"Probably on campus, just to get away from my dad."  
Isa nodded, Ed's dad wasn't the kindest man in the world, she knew that, but at least he has his family was something she thought often. Isa loved Falcone like a father but he wasn't her father.  
"Do you ever think about finding your family?"  
"Um, sometimes, but if their dead then what's the point?"  
"Aren't you curious?"  
"Not anymore." Isa moved to look back at the sky. Isa wasn't going to lie about having issues, because she did have issues, she didn't like most of her friends but she only stuck around because they liked her, she was afraid of being alone, forgotten, abandoned, and those thoughts would plague her most nights.   
She woke up in the morning to her phone ringing, she got out of bed and walked to her phone, she took it off the hook, "hello?"  
"I got in."  
"What?" She rubbed her eyes. "Eddie?"  
"I got in." He said again, excited.  
"Oh my god." Isa said when she took in what he said. "Eddie! That's great! We should celebrate, maybe coffee?"  
"That sounds great, where?"  
"That little place down the street from Anders."  
"Okay, I'll see you."  
She hung up, she showered and straightened waist-length hair, she had no idea why she tried, the ringlets would always come back after a few hours. She dressed in a pale pink collared blouse, a brown leather skirt that zips in the front, tan ankle boots with a heel and light brown coat, it was always cold in Gotham, regardless of season. She grabbed her purse and car keys.  
Ed was waiting inside, he already ordered himself a coffee and a latte for Isa with caramel flavouring. She walked into the coffee shop and shrugged off her coat and sat down. "Hey." Ed looked up from his crossword puzzle, he smiled. "I wasn't sure if you wanted anything to eat." Her brows furrowed, "oh, that's fine." She took a cautious sip of her latte, when it wasn't scolding she took a proper sip. When she set the mug down she smiled at him, "so, university, are you excited?"  
"As excited as one should be? What about you?"  
"Indifferent if we're being honest." Isa went to run her fingers through her hair but stopped when she felt the little curls begin to frame her face again, she cursed quietly.  
"I'm sorry?" Ed said putting his mug down.  
"I'm sorry, its just sometimes I wonder why I try to do my hair when it just goes back to a curly mess."  
"I like your hair when it's natural, you look like Meg Giry."  
Isa laughed, "in the book, Christine was the blonde one."  
"Really?"  
"Yeah."  
"Why did they change it?"  
She picked up the mug, "you know, I'm not really sure."  
"Sometimes they do Phantom at the University."  
Isa hummed, "I would love to be Christine but alas, I can't sing, even if I am a birdie." She said her nickname with venom.  
"Well you're an exceptional dancer, maybe you could play Meg or one of the ballet girls."  
"I would but, there are other dancers far more talented then I, and besides I wouldn't want it to interfere with my studies."  
"Isa, I know you, you could make it work, they're holding auditions in August for a fall production." He slid her a pamphlet, "just give it a shot."  
She smiled and took the folded paper. "Okay, I'll give it a go."  
"What belongs to you but others use it more then you do?"  
"My name."  
Ed smiled and asked her another. "What has a heart but no other organs?"  
"A deck of cards."  
He asked her several more, she never failed to answer a single one.  
Isa's stomach growled and she remembered she left without breakfast, she grabbed her wallet and stood up, "I'm getting an apple danish, you want anything?"  
"No, I'm fine."  
"Eddie."  
"Really, I'm fine."  
Isa sighed and ordered. She sat back down and they talked into the late morning, when they finished they left and decided to take a walk through the park, they talked about little things nothing of significant importance, by early evening he walked her back to her car, she offered him a ride but he insisted he'd walk. Falcone had a meeting when she got home, Isa nodded and went to check on the kitchen staff, which was really one woman, she was plump with greying red hair and big kind brown eyes.  
"Oh! Miss Kapelput!" She said, in her normal cheery tone, Isa smiled, "hello Penelope."  
"Would you like something?"  
"Um, maybe a tuna sandwich and pink punch, if you made some."  
"I did, I did miss, and would you like cucumbers on your sandwich?"  
"Always."  
She sat at the island and ate her late lunch. "What are you making for dinner?"  
"Falcone mentioned you wanted seafood so I thought I'd make crab legs to start, and a shrimp alfredo and for dessert I've made strawberry sherbet, your favourite."  
"They're all my favourite, it sounds wonderful, truly." She looked at the clock. "I think its time for me to take Odette for a walk." She got off the stool and grabbed the leash off the coat rack. Isa loved being outside right when the sun set, when everything was a beautiful shade of blue.  
When she came home, Falcone told her, he was having the family over for dinner, she nodded and went to dress appropriately. Since she moved in her room changed from yellow to pastel colours, she had a large white bed in the centre of the room, photographs on the walls, bedside tables,a desk, a chair beside her cello, a walk in closet and door to her bedroom. Currently she had her ballet clothes and slippers on the floor, she picked them up and draped them over her desk chair.  
She walked into the bathroom and looked in the mirror, her hair was back to a naturally curly state, she sighed and washed her face before applying a little makeup. She went into the closer and found a white a-line sundress with a few roses strewn about the fabric, she paired it with white wedges and went down for dinner.  
"Isa, my dear." Falcone greeted. She smiled and mingled into the family, but at dinner she had to sit next to Fish, its not that she didn't like Fish, it was just she didn't trust her, not in the slightest, Isa could see the lust for power in her eyes, it was hard to ignore. But Isa played nice and made small talk with the woman. Isa's icy eyes scanned the table, actually if Isa was being honest she didn't trust most of the family, some were out of their depth when it came to trying to move up in the family. Out of the corner of her eye she could feel Connor looking at her, and she hated it, he stared at her whenever he could, didn't talk to her, didn't make a move, just stared and it made Isa uneasy. Ignoring his gaze she stabbed a shrimp with her fork and make small talk with members of the family who congratulated her on graduating high school.  
After dinner she excused herself, when she was in the safety of her bedroom she changed into her pyjamas and played the cello before crawling into bed with a book.


	3. Chapter Three

On August 16th she auditioned for the roll of Meg Giry, she was told that her dancing was exceptional but her singing needed work but she was the only girl who was blonde and had curly hair naturally.   
In a huff she called Falcone and waited in little cafe off campus, later she got a call telling her that she got the roll of Meg Giry. Normally she doesn't have Falcone do this for her, but for some reason she really wanted this roll. Rehearsals started in the first week of the year, they usually happened in the mornings, Isa's classes weren't until the afternoon.   
Ed would come by during rehearsals some of the time, he'd crack a smile when Isa would sing, or dance, basically he'd be smiling the whole time. After they'd grab lunch after, some place on campus which sells wraps then they'd hang out in his dorm room until class. They actual production itself wouldn't take place until the first week of November, and Isa invited the whole Falcone family, she was given dozens of flowers by Falcone, Fish and others but in spirit of the production Ed left her a red rose with a black ribbon tied around it.   
Isa was phenomenal, even if it was a small role, she ended the production and stole the show. After the final bows she rushed back to her dressing room and changed into the pastel green cocktail dress and black heels before joining Falcone, the family and Ed in the foyer, she had Saviano carry her flowers apart from Falcones, his were a bouquet of casablanca lillies, she slipped Ed's rose in the middle. She hugged Falcone first, "you were magnificent, my dear."   
"Thank you." She moved to hug Ed who picked her up off the ground.   
"Where shall we go for dinner?" Falcone asked, Isa thought for a moment, "anywhere that has seafood."   
"Seafood it is."   
Ed tagged along, feeling uncomfortable the entire time, they ended up in one of Falcones restaurants, when he bought it, he let Isa redecorate. Everything was beautiful, crisp and open feeling, looking out onto the river. The colours were simple, mint greens, peaches and golds. They sat down and ordered what they wanted since they ate for free, but even while knowing this, Ed was still nervous, he found himself staring at Isa's hair, how the light blonde curls brushed against her arm as she talked, Ed looked at the mussels on his plate, he wasn't a huge fan of seafood but he made an effort for Isa. 

Being in the production had Isa join the Drama program as a dancer, but before she was in, they measured her height and body proportions, Isa didn't have to worry, she had a dancers body, long legs, lean, thin and stood at 1.68m, she still studied forensics as a career path but dance was a hobby, for the winter holidays they put on Swan Lake, Isa played black swan, normally they had Odette and Odile played by the same ballerina but in this production they would be played as separate characters. At first when she auditioned the directors found it odd that a blonde woman would go for the black swan, but they let her dance and they chose her, and an understudy of course but Isa told them that an understudy would be highly unnecessary. Ed came to every one of her shows, he wasn't required to but he wanted to, he never tired of seeing Isa dance. But after the first time she danced she'd kissed Ed strictly from the rush of the stage. It was awkward in class for a little while but it slowly went back to normal. She invited him over for Christmas and her birthday, Ed thought she was lucky that her birthday was on Christmas eve, it got both of them out of the way. They watched Christmas movies with Odette, decorated the tree, baked with Penelope and had dinner twice, once with the entire mob family and the second time with just the three of them. Isa loved Christmas, she went all out celebrating the season, everything was decorated, only Christmas music was allowed around the house, Falcone didn't have the heart to tell her no so she did what she wanted.   
Isa would go on to be in ten productions in total over the span of four years. in Cinderella she had the role of Natasha, one of Cinderella's step sisters. In Giselle she played Giselle, in Sleeping Beauty she played the Lilac Fairy. When they did The Nutcracker she landed the role of The Sugar Plum Fairy, and other supporting roles, sometimes leads. And Ed saw every show.   
She went to after partys, with drinking and there were times where she'd wake up in someone else's bed. She would be horrified about it at first but after the 5th time all she'd do was sigh, get dressed and leave. Isa also started smoking weed, it started as medicinal for her ankle but she switched to recreational. She would keep her stuff under her bed and would bust it out when she was alone, Falcone didn't mind it but she was still uncomfortable with smoking when he was in the house. 

When they graduated University Isa joined a lab to gain some experience and after a while they got jobs at the GCPD in the forensics department and she only broke out her ballet slippers for fun, she would dance around the house, when she could anyway, sometimes Odette would get excited and jump or go around her legs on turns.   
When she worked at the GCPD she found she had to cover murders for the family, which she wasn't okay with at first but got used to it rather quickly, it wasn't hard to get used to, just say it was accidental or suicide.   
Falcone got a new hitman, Victor Zsasz, and something about him captivated Isa, she was attracted to this sociopathic killer. And Victor was attracted by how innocent she seemed, he wasn't aware of the murder she committed when she was 7, or how many people she robbed on the streets.   
He would watch her dance, how in control she looked but it seemed effortless, and how she could dance ballet to fleetwood mac, he'll never know. She found him staring and winked. He smirked, and walked over to her.   
"I could use some help with my penché's." She said with a small smile.   
"Uh, what do I do?"   
"Just hold my waist."   
Isa pretended to stumble and wrapped her leg around his waist. "Oops." She whispered, looking at him with lidded eyes. His hand brushed her thigh and he let go, but pulled her close to him. "What are you trying to do, sweet thing?" He asked, a slight smile tugging at his lips, Isa looked up at those deep brown eyes.   
"I think I want you." She said.   
"Think?"  
"Yeah."   
"Well when you're sure, come find me." He left the room, Isa let out the breath she had been holding and went back to the bar, she did some grand battements and tried to keep Victor from her thoughts.   
Falcone had a dinner that night and Victor was there, standing by the wall, staring at Isa in her strapless velvet dress in a deep green, he could see the swell of her breasts and growled quietly to himself. He felt his pants tighten and he shifted. She whispered something to Falcone and stood up from the table, she walked out and Victor waited a few minutes before following. He found her inside her bathroom, washing her hands, he snuck up behind her, he ran his hand up her thigh and rested it on her hip. Isa gasped and looked at Victor though the mirror. His breath was hot on her neck, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling, his hand left her hip and traveled to her breast, Isa turned her neck and bumped his nose, he took the invitation and kissed her. His hand traveled up her dress and she stopped him. "Not here, not now." She breathed, he backed up and she went back to dinner.

Falcone went to visit his son, so Isa had the house to herself and the day off, she grabbed her bag, grinder, lighter and pipe and sat outside on the patio. She was enjoying the quiet when she felt someone standing behind her, Victor passed her chair and sat down, he raised his nonexistent eyebrows, Isa put the pipe down and opened her gatorade, "its for my ankle." She said.   
"What happened to it?"  
"Gymnastics. I fucked up a flip, sprained my ankle real bad." She repacked the pipe and took a hit.   
"But you still dance."  
She laughed and passed him the pipe and her lighter, he eyed it for a moment and took it. "A lot of pain killers."   
"But you switched them for this?" He said, giving her the pipe back, "more or less."   
"You know this is illegal." He mused.  
"You kill people, I just smoke grass."  
"Does your dad know?"  
Isa sniffed, "he knows I was on medical but Falcone isn't my dad."  
"No?"  
"I was adopted."   
There's a pause, "you want a drink?" Isa asked, Victor just looked at her, "its 11 in the morning." Isa got up, "oh come on, whats the harm?" Victor sighed and followed her into the kitchen. She pulled two beers from the fridge. They leaned against the island.   
"So, where are you're real parents?"  
Isa shrugged, "dead probably."   
"And you have no interest in finding them?"  
"I did, but what's the point if their dead?"  
They paused.   
"So, if you're not his kid then your last name isn't Falcone?"  
"No, its Kapelput, Isabel Kapelput, but I prefer Isa."   
Victor smiled a little, "sounds very, European." Isa snorted. "Yes it does."  
They ran out of things to talk about and stood their awkwardly, Isa studied her half empty beer bottle. "Do you...wanna get high and watch a movie?"   
"Why not, I don't have any work."   
They sat and watched The Evil Dead. Isa burst out laughing at the jump scare when Cheryl looked away from the window, possessed. Victor just looked at the blonde, he smiled. Cheryl grabbed the pencil, "watch out Ashy boy." Cheryl sat up ridged and stabbed Linda in the ankle, Isa laughed bumping Victor in the shoulder, he laughed too, mostly over how out of it Isa was. She looked up at him, oddly he loved the way her bloodshot eyes made the blue of her irises look brighter.   
Near the end of the movie Isa curled up next to Victor and put her head on his shoulder, he stiffened but eventually put his arm around her shoulders.   
Isa stopped moving which concerned Victor a little, he put a finger under her nose and felt her breathe, he smiled, she was just asleep. He freed himself from her arms and laid her down on the couch, he took the blanket off the back of the couch and tucked her in, he put her stuff back in her bedroom. 

Isa woke up to someone shaking her shoulder lightly, she opened her eyes.   
"Hello, my dear."  
She sat up, "Carmine. I was watching a movie with Victor...I must have fallen asleep." He smiled, "we're having dinner with Mario this evening, I'll need you dressed and ready to go by 7."   
She stood up, fixed the pillows and folded the blanket. "Of course."   
She kept her hair curly with minimal makeup, she wore a simple off the shoulder black dress, she wasn't fond of Mario, never really was, he seemed very full of himself.   
At dinner she ordered a Manhattan and told the waiter to keep them coming.   
"So," Mario started, "what is it you do again?"  
"I'm a forensic scientist at the GCPD."   
Mario hummed and bit into his steak. He thought that being a doctor meant he was better and more accomplished than Isa, because he makes more money.   
Dinner was awkward, she tried to keep the conversation between Falcone and herself, the same with Mario.   
In the morning Isa had to go to work, Ed surprised her with her usual caramel latte, she smiled. "Thank you."   
"We have work."  
"Oh, of course we do." He handed Isa her GCPD jacket. 

When they arrived at the scene Isa jumped at the body, "what happened to his neck?" The mans neck was torn to the bone, like he was trying to cut it off. Forensics did their work, Isa and Ed looked over the body. Isa squatted down next to his face. "It looks like he tried to cut his neck with something, a dull blade of some kind maybe?" Ed took a spot next to her. "Look at his nose, there appears to be remnants of something."  
"Cocaine maybe? I mean this is Gotham." Something caught Isa's eye, carefully she picked up the victims hand and looked under his finger nails, "either thats his skin or someone else's." They preserved the skin.   
They had the evidence and photographs and started cleanup.   
"Hello Miss Kapelput."   
She turned around, "Harvey." She greeted, but continued her work.   
"You know, I never understood what a pretty girl like you would want in forensics." Isa chuckled and smiled at him, "I'm gonna stop you right there, you're not my type."   
They went back to the precinct and went over the evidence.   
"Ah! Just as I thought." She clapped excitedly, Ed walked over, "you got something?"  
"The blood and skin under his nails isn't his, its someone else's."  
"Or killer?"  
"Yes, what did you find?"  
"Oh, the victim appeared to be on drugs like we thought."  
"What?"  
"Cocaine, and hallucinogens."   
"What type?"   
"Dextromethorphan's"   
"Quite the combo, but isn't uncommon in Gotham."   
They went back to work.   
"Do we have identification?" Isa asked after a while.  
"John Clovik, 34 years old. What about the skin?"   
"Well the blood is female, in the neutrophils I'm getting have higher levels of form A appendages. So perhaps a girlfriend?"   
"No their were faint markings of where a ring sat on his fourth finger, left hand."  
"So either wife or ex wife, I'll go tell Bullock." She left the room.   
"Scissors." Ed said when she returned.   
"What?" She sat on her stool.   
"John tried cutting his neck with scissors."   
"No, I got back from the M.E. there are defensive cuts on his arms, on the biceps and ulnaris muscles."   
"So is was murder."   
They worked at the case all day and into the late night, filing reports, going over evidence again and again, never leaving anything unchecked, when Bullock had the information he needed Isa clocked out and went home.  
When she walked through the door she kicked off her heels and picked them up, she walked into the kitchen and made a pot of coffee. She heard footsteps and turned towards the doorway. "Hey Victor."  
"What are you doing in the kitchen at this hour?"  
"Coffee."   
"Coffee?"  
"Yes."  
"Shouldn't you be sleeping?"  
"No, Ed and I are going over a murder case and I need to be awake if he calls, needing me to go into work."   
She made her coffee and went into the living room, she put her coffee on the table and flopped down on the couch with a sigh.   
"You wanna watch a movie?" He asked.  
"Sure."   
They watched a horror movie together, Isa shifted at the sex scene, feeling the familiar ache in her womanhood, she looked at Victor who appeared to be clenching his jaw, her eyes travel to his pants, she could see his member pushing against the fabric, evidence of his arousal. He caught her looking, she took the opportunity and straddled his hips, he took her lips in a heated kiss. In a rush he unzipped his pants, ripped her tights, moved her panties and pushed himself into her heat. Isa moaned and grabbed into the collar of his shirt, he moved slowly and picked up the pace, Isa was close to climax when her phone rang, she tried to get off Victor but he held her hips. "Ignore it." He whispered. She nodded and they continued. She came before he did, she rested her head on his chest and her phone rang again. She sighed, "I have to get it, its work." Victor groaned, she kissed him and got off, she flipped her phone open. "Ed?"   
"We need you back at the precinct."   
"Alright." She flipped her phone shut. "I have to go to work." She stood up, he grabbed her hips and pulled her too him.   
"But you just got back."   
"I know, but its the life I've chosen to lead." She kissed him, threw out her ripped tights and put her heels back on. She got in her car and drove off.   
"Ed." She said, walking up the stairs. "What have we got?"  
"Second victim, male, with the same wounds on his neck."   
"Did Bullock find a wife or ex?"  
"Yes, they brought her in for questioning but she pasted a polygraph test."   
Isa went over the new evidence. "Its all the same, the drugs, lacerations to the neck, skin and blood belonging to a woman under the fingernails."   
"He had the same defensive cuts on his arms like the previous victim."  
"Male in his mid 30s?"   
"Yes."  
"I think, we have a serial killer."   
Ed smiled, they laughed and filed reports.   
Isa didn't come home until early evening. She hoped when she kicked her shoes off it would be the last for a while, so she could sleep, but when she got home the family was having dinner.   
"Isa, my dear, glad you could join us."  
"I'd love to Carmine, really but I'm exhausted, I've barely slept in the past 48 hours."   
Falcone smiled and nodded, "I'll have Penelope put your's in the fridge to be heated later."  
"Thank you."  
Isa took a shower and crawled into bed.

Isa went back to work the next morning. She despised the long hours but loved her work, examining the odd murder here and there, but it all changed when Thomas and Martha Wayne were killed.


	4. Chapter Four

Isa and Ed we're offered to go look at another case but they were busy with the other two victims.   
"Suit yourselves." They said, turns out it was Thomas and Martha Wayne, Bullock handed the case he was working on to Alvarez.   
They gave Alvarez everything they had on the case and he went to work, bringing in women who have been convicted of murder before in similar fashions. The case was closed before there was another victim.   
Isa sat in the break room with a cup of coffee, she felt herself nodding off when Ed tapped her shoulder.   
"Hm?"  
"You were falling asleep."  
"Oh, thanks Eddie, so, anything on the Wayne case?"   
"We have something on the bullet found in Mr. Wayne's chest, I'm about to disclose the information with Bullock and Gordon, you want to come?"   
"Yeah, why not."   
They tracked them down, Ed held up the evidence bag.   
"Guess what this is?"  
"Just tell me, Ed. I want riddles, I'll read the funny pages."   
Ed opened his notebook. "Its a .45 caliber 300 grain cupronickel wadcutter. Came out of Thomas Wayne's chest."   
Gordon took the bag. "That's a six dollar bullet."  
"Uh-huh. What kind of gun-"  
"Ah-ah-ah. Don't ask, just tell."  
Ed looked at Bullock then back to Gordon. "Its from a pistol not known by our database. No prints either."  
"What else you got?"  
"Whats nowhere but everywhere, except where something is?"   
"Nothing." Isa and Gordon answered together. Bullock stood up, "you need professional help, Nygma. Seriously. Lets go." The detectives leave, Isa puts a hand on Ed's shoulder. "C'mon, why don't we go out for dinner?" They grabbed their stuff and went to the same seafood place they always go.   
"Ah, Miss Kapelput! How lovely to see you." They wear seated and given white wine before they were served. "So you were telling me earlier how you dumped Gustav Wallin and now you're sort of involved with Falcone's hitman Victor Zsasz?"  
"Mm-hm." She said taking a sip of her wine.   
"But Falcone doesn't know."  
"Mm-hm."  
"Are you going to tell him?"   
"Probably not."  
"Why not?" Ed pushed up his glasses.   
"Because," the waiter put shrimp alfredo down in front of them and waited, Isa shooed him away and continued. "Because its not serious." She stabbed a shrimp with her fork. "We're not exclusive, I'm not his only playmate and its purely physical."   
They went through the rest of dinner talking about work, the Wayne case mostly.  
When Isa got home Falcone was getting ready to go somewhere.   
"I'm off to Fish Mooney's, would you care to join me?"  
"No, that's okay, I'm quite tired."   
Falcone nodded, put on his hat and left. Isa felt Victor's hands run down her arms. "I said, I'm tired and these heels are killing me and I really just want to take a bath."   
Victor pouted, if he could, but it came out as a slight scowl. "Don't look at me like that. I'll make it up to you, promise." She kissed him lightly and walked upstairs. 

 

Isa was walking with Ed when he started skulking around Essen's office.   
"Ed." She whispered. "Eddie."   
Essen noticed him, "what is it, Ed?" He went inside the office, leaving Isa standing outside, feeling awkward. He left the office. "Coffee?"  
"Yes."   
They walked to the break room.

 

"Death by weather balloon?" Isa chuckled, "first the Wayne's were killed then the child snatchers, now theres a man out there turning people into hot air balloons...god, its like Thomas and Martha Wayne's death set off a bomb of weird." She sipped her coffee. "But the thing about weather balloons, is that they pop eventually."   
"Should we tell someone?" Ed asked.   
"Haha, no. Besides I'm curious to see what happens to the human body when it lands from such a distance." 

In the morning they were called to the scene, a woman and what looked to be Lieutenant Cranston, were a pile of mush.   
Isa scrunched up her nose at the sight and made a sound of disgust, "people mush...its gross, yet I'm intrigued." She watched two men in jumpsuits shovel the mess. One of the newer members of their forensics team was bagging whatever evidence wasn't smashed upon impact. "Shouldn't you be helping?"   
Isa sipped her coffee. "You're fresh out of Uni. I'm supervising. Go hand that to Bullock."   
He nodded and left.   
"You think Guerra will let us poke around at the mushy people?" She asked Ed.   
"Probably not."  
"Boo."

 

She walked into their work room the next morning with coffee, she set it down on his desk.   
"Did we find out who the Balloonman is yet?" She asked him, Ed put his pen down. "That Juvenile Services guy, Davis Lamond."   
"Him, really? Did he say why he was doing this?"  
"Not that I heard of."  
There's a knock on the door, "you're up." Jameson said. They put down the coffee and grabbed their jackets.   
"Where are we going?"  
"Arkham."  
"...why?"  
"Another council men was found dead, we already have another group working on the previous victims so we thought we'd give you and Nygma this one." Jameson said with a smile.   
"Oh, how. considerate."    
They drove to Arkham. "God this place is creepy." When she got out of the car she was face to face with a crow, it cawed and Isa jumped back. They entered the gate, Isa groaned at the smouldering body in the acid drum. "Really? Do people still get shot or are criminals becoming more creative? I mean when was the last time we had a guy that was shot to death?"   
Ed bent down, "not since the Wayne's were killed."   
Isa turned to the other forensics team, "what do we know so far?" She was handed the file, "councilman Zeller was burned alive?" She looked up and raised an eyebrow. "He was stabbed before by a metal spike, like the one on the previous two victims, only though the chest and not the eyes." Isa closed the file on Jenkins and gave it to Ed. "Really? Huh. So its not a weird case. Thought it might be weird, Ed and I will present the findings to Bullock and Gordon." They walked away and Isa scoffed, "they've been here longer and they think they're smarter then us."   
Gordon noticed them first.   
"What you got?"   
"I have a paradox for you."  
"What?"  
"Well, a paradox detective, is when you-"  
"I know what a paradox is, smart-ass. What paradox."   
"These are the medical examiners reports on the murders of councilman Jenkins and his aide. Both victims sustained fatal puncture wounds to the skull via the eye socket. The weapon was some kind of metal spike."  
"Okay, so?"  
"Councilman Zeller also has wounds from a metal spike. Its an extremely unlikely coincidence, don't you think?"   
"So you're saying Zeller, Jenkins and the aide were killed by the same person."   
"Yes, it would appear that way wouldn't it?" Isa fluffed her curly hair.   
"Same killer, working for both Maroni and Falcone. That's nuts."  
"Well, what if the killer wasn't working for Falcone? Or Maroni." Isa suggested, Gordon gave her a look and turned back to the body.   
"Come on." Bullock told him.   
"Where are we going?"  
"Go see a friend of mine." They left.   
"Does Jim know you're Falcone's adopted daughter?"  
"No, and its going to stay that way. Jim is trying to clean up the police department and if he finds out I'm with Falcone, he could have it that I lose my job. And i like my job." 

 

Isa walked through the door and was greeted by Odette, she gave her a few pats on the head and went into the sitting room. She took off her heels and rubbed her feet. "Ugh, I hate these shoes." She heard a voice from the doorframe. "Then why do you wear them?"   
"Oh, hey Victor. I wear them because they were expensive." She stood up and walked over to him, she grabbed the collar of his shirt and led him upstairs. 

 

Theres a knock at the door, Isa and Ed turn towards Gordon. "Detective Gordon, what can we do for you?"  
"We need I.D. on this and whatever else you can find." He hands her the bag with a small little vial inside and he puts the guitar case on the desk. "We'll get right on it, Detective Gordon."   
And they did, they took samples and ran them through the computer.   
"Oh my." Isa said after a few hours, "Eddie." He comes over from his little corner to look at what Isa was seeing.   
"The drug found in the vial taps in to unused DNA, gives the user extreme strength and euphoric sense of power. But look, it only lasts for a few hours and it uses the calcium in the skeletal system as fuel."   
"That is-"  
"Fascinating."  
"Truly fascinating, what happens when there's no more calcium to take?"  
"My guess is the bones would turn to dust and the user would die."   
"Fascinating." Ed repeated. 

In the morning they presented their findings, Isa looked down at the chaos in the central part of the precinct. "Let go of me!" A woman shouts, as the passes the duo she growls in their faces. Isa followed Ed into Essen's office.   
"What did you find?"  
"You want to tell it Ed?"  
"Glad to." He turns to the detectives, "its really quite remarkable. Viper somehow activates unused DNA, the body starts to burn calcium from the skeletal system as fuel, hence the victims cravings for milk and cheese. They're desperately trying to replace the missing calcium, but they cant consume enough. Essentially..."  
"Their bones crumble and they suffocate and die."   
"Have you seen anything like this before?"  
"Nobody has. Totally new."  
"Isn't it amazing?"   
"No new reports for a few hours now. Maybe they're done. Maybe they ran out of the stuff."  
"I doubt it."  
"Who would put this on the street? Why? They're not even selling it. They're giving it away."   
"Thats how you create demand."  
"For a drug that kills you that fast?"  
"First it makes you king of the world. There'll be takers."   
"There'll be mayhem for sure. But skell-on-skell mayhem. If we keep the decent citizens indoors for a couple of weeks, let the scumbags have at it, voilà, end of crime."  
"Yeah, that's a nice thought, but no."   
"This stuff seems hard to make, no?"  
"Oh definitely, it takes high levels of technical sophistication. This stuff was made in a state-of-the-art lab."   
"So who has the biggest and best lab in the city?"   
"WellZyn."   
"But this is not them. They're a subsidiary of Wayne Enterprises. Multibillion-dollar corporation. Why would they be doing this?"   
"I don't know but we might as well start at the top."   
Someone tossed a cop through the window, Isa screamed and clung to Ed.   
The woman from earlier was kicking and screaming. "Let go of me. Let go of me." Two cops were trying to restrain her. She started to go grey and you could hear the sound of her bones crumbling, the cops let go, and she crumbled to the floor. Ed and Isa looked at each other and smiled. "Fascinating. Fascinating."   
"I feel like a kid on Christmas morning." They retreated to their little corner of the precinct. Isa left after a while and grabbed them lunch. Her phone rang.   
"Hello?"  
"What are you doing?"  
"Victor? I'm working."   
"Who's the friend?"  
"...Ed. I've told you about Ed."   
"And you're just friends?"  
"Yes, Victor."  
"Just checking." He hung up, Isa stared at her phone and flipped it shut.   
"What was that about?"   
Isa put the straw in her milkshake, "I have absolutely no idea." 

 

Isa walked into the living room to find Falcone talking to a young woman, but what stunned Isa was how much the woman looked like Falcone's mother, it was almost like looking at a paper copy, Falcone felt Isa's presence and turned around, "Isa, my dear."   
"Who's the friend?"   
"I'm Liza." She held out her hand and Isa shook it.   
"Isa."   
"Our names rhyme."  
"So they do."   
She shared a few awkward smiles, "I'll be in my room."   
When she opened the door she almost screamed, Victor was standing by the cello and plucked the strings with his finger.   
"What are you doing?"   
Victor smiled at her, "I let myself in, hope you don't mind."  
"No, not at all." She took off her shoes and blazer and put them back in her closet.   
Victor tugged at the zipper on her skirt. Isa smiled and let him undress her before taking her to bed, like he did most nights.   
Isa woke up in the early morning to her phone ringing, she tried to get up but Victor had his arm around her waist, holding her there, she managed to squirm free and answered her phone. "Yeah?"   
She paused and listened. "Yeah I'll be right there." She flipped the phone shut and got ready for the day. She walked back into the room while brushing her teeth, Victor was still asleep in her bed, she smiled and walked into her closet. She wore her usual pencil skirt, button up but changed the blazer for a cardigan. She put her hair up in a bun, put on her GCPD coat and grabbed her purse.   
"Where are you going?" She sighed and walked back to the bed. "Work."   
"But you just got back."  
Isa smiled, "I know, and I'll be home later." She gave him a kiss and left the room.

She parked by the railroad and walked on.   
She saw the woman surrounded by candles with her arms suspended above the water." Well, thats...interesting."   
Ed walked over and handed Isa her latte. "Thank you, we have an I.D. yet?"  
"Amanda Hastings."   
"Time of death?"  
"Close to 1 am."   
Isa went to get as close to the body as possible without falling in the water. She noticed Bullock.   
"Hey, Detective." Ed asked him a problem, he called it a riddle but it wasn't really a riddle, more of a puzzle. "A man once had to travel with a wolf, a goat and a cabbage. He had to take good care of them, since the wolf would like to taste a.piece of goat if he would get the chance, while the goat appeared to long for a tasty cabbage. After some traveling, he suddenly stood before a river. This river could only be crossed using the small boat laying nearby at a shore. The boat was only good enough to take himself and one of his loads across the river. The other two subjects or objects he had to leave on their own. How must the man row across the river back and forth, to take himself as well as his luggage safe to the other side of the river, without having one eating another?"   
Isa smiled and answered quietly to herself, because the puzzle was for Bullock, not her. "The man takes the goat to the other side of the river but then he grabs the wolf, but then he brings the goat back, he leaves the goat, takes the cabbage across and then goes back for the goat and takes the goat across the second time."   
Ed starts tapping Bullock in the back with his pen, "Detective Bullock. Detective Bullock, do you give up?"  
He turns around. "What?"   
"My riddle. A man has to cross the river with a wolf, a cabbage and a goat."   
"Ed, please, what's the time of death?"  
"Examiner pegs it at just before 3 a.m. this morning. He's a bit eager with his coagulation marker, so I'd put it closer to 1. Killer left her identification for us, Amanda Hastings, 21 years old."  
"She comes from money."  
"Mm-hm."   
"I'm guessing she was the oldest in her family."  
"Why is that?"  
"The goat always kills the first born."   
"The what?" Bullock shushed her, "its all the same. Same MO, same victim choice, presentation, its all the same. We got a copycat."   
"You alright detective?" Ed asked.   
"No, I'm not alright. I already solved this case. Where's Gordon?"  
"Apparently he's not answering his phone."  
"He's not answering his...you mean I'm on the clock before the boy-scout?"   
"Mm-hm."   
"This is frigging ridiculous."  
"Fine I'll tell you the answer, the man crosses the river with the wolf and the cabbage, he leaves the wolf, goes back with the cab-"  
"Ed." Bullock said, putting his phone to his ear to call Gordon. Isa put her hand on his shoulder, "I already solved it, Bullock is just an ignoramus." She smiled at him and sat on the tracks to finish her latte.   
She helped cut Amanda down and put her in a body bag. She went over to Ed who was looking up at the bridge. She joined him, uncertain of what he was looking at. She focused her attention on the candles.   
"Hey Nygma." The pair turned to Bullock. "Let me know when they've set up for the autopsy."  
"Anything in particular you want me to-"  
"Just call me."   
They finished at the crime scene and went back to the GCPD, but Isa didn't catch a break. "Kapelput." She turned to look at Alvarez.   
"Yeah?"   
"You're joining Jameson and Griggs today, they found a body in a shallow grave down at Gotham Park." Isa smiled, "neat." She waved bye to Ed and walked out with Jameson and his team. 

The body was badly decomposed, Isa put on her gloves and squatted down near the body. "What we got, Kapelput?" She turned to Griggs. "I haven't looked yet." She turned back to the body, "ignoramus." She mumbled. "Well, from what I can see, the victim is female, possibly 1.73 meters tall, around 156 pounds, was stabbed in the throat."  
"How can you tell?"   
She pointed at the cervical vertebrae.   
"The vertebrae was cut through here, by something sharp, maybe a slicer knife? I'd guess the blade had to be on the thinner side and approximately 8 inches in length."   
"Kapelput."   
She went over to Jameson, he was holding a knife covered in dirt, old blood and rust.   
"That could very well be the murder weapon."   
They let the group take photos and gather whatever evidence they could find before bagging the body and heading back to the precinct. She walked in the room she shared with Ed. With some of the fingers intact she ran the fingerprints in the database to find her face. Ed put a cup of coffee beside her. "Thank you."   
"What have you got?"   
"I'm not sure, I'll know in a minute." She let it run before it stopped on a face. She choked on her coffee.   
"Isa?"  
"I know her..."  
"What?"  
"She grew up with me...in the orphanage. Jennifer Dawson. We called her Jenny." She printed the paper off and put it in the folder and continued to work, Ed walked towards the door. "Eddie? Where are you going?"   
"To see Miss Kringle."  
"Ed."   
"And to get information on the previous goat murders." He left the room, Isa sighed in frustration and went back to work, she hated how Ed still had a crush on Miss Kringle even though she treats him like dirt. Jameson came back with fingerprints left on the knife handle. "Thank you." She said and set them down before running the prints.   
"Hey, would you like to go out tonight? Maybe dinner?"   
Isa smiled and turned towards the blond man. "I cant, I'm sort of involved with someone already."   
"Oh, okay." He left.   
"I'm sorry." She sighed and the machine beeped at her, she had a match. "Ah-ha. Got you." When everything was sorted she left to find Griggs with file in hand, when she couldn't find him she went to the desk sergeant. "Have you seen Griggs?"   
"He clocked out, Doctor's appointment."   
Isa sighed, "thanks." Montoya and Allen came in the precinct with a cuffed Jim Gordon. "We're on the same side. Don't you understand? We're fighting the same war and dammit I'm getting somewhere."  
"Getting to do a 6 by 8 at Blackgate Pen. That's what you're getting."   
"What is this?" Essen asked.   
"MCU's taking Detective James Gordon in custody."  
"What?"  
"Your boy here murdered Oswald Cobblepot. And dumped him in the river."   
"That's a damn lie." Bullock interjected.   
"He's right, it was a lie. I didn't shoot Oswald Cobblepot. I lied, I didn't shoot him Bullock."   
"Of course you didn't, Partner."  
"No, I mean it."   
"Harvey Bullock, you're under arrest."   
"For what?" Allen cuffed him.   
"Accomplice in the murder of Oswald Cobblepot. Our witness places you at the scene."   
"You think you can walk in here and take my people like that?"   
"We're not here to take down the GCPD, we just want these two."   
"They're GCPD, so the MCU's got a problem."   
"Yeah you got a problem. You got a real problem, you-"  
Isa heard the door open, Oswald Cobblepot walked in.   
"Holy crap."   
"Hello." He chuckled, "I am Oswald Cobblepot." Oswald caught sight of Isa, small framed, his height, but it was the mop of curly blonde hair, the sharpness of her nose and big blue eyes that intrigued him, she looked like someone he knew, he couldn't put his finger on it right away, but it was right when she moved the file in her hands that he saw the tag, next to her picture was the name Kapelput, his mother's surname.


	5. Chapter Five

Isa saw him looking at her and felt awkward so she walked away. 

The next morning she felt someones hand creep on her hip, she squealed and turned to face the person. "Victor?"  
"Hello." He smiled.   
"What are you doing here?"   
Victor pulled her to him, but Isa was unaware that Ed was watching.  
"Falcone sent me to bring him Gordon."  
"Because he didn't kill Cobblepot. So this isn't a social visit then?" She wrapped her arms around his neck.   
"Afraid not Sweet-Thing. But don't worry, I'll make it up to you later." He kissed her roughly and left the room.   
"So that's Victor." Ed said, Isa jumped.   
"Yes, that's him."  
"He's quite scary looking. Does he shave his-"  
"He has alopecia."   
"Oh."   
She rolled her eyes and went to take the file to Griggs.   
"The victim was 24 year old Jennifer Dawson, your killer is 28 year old Sam Riggs." She slapped the file down on his desk.   
"Thank you, Isa."  
She nodded and went back to her office. 

 

The next morning Falcone asked her if she wanted to come with him to handle some business with Maroni, she wasn't called into work so she agreed.   
The two families met up at the pier, Isa stayed back and sat on the hood of the car. Falcone and Maroni hugged. Oswald was shocked to see her come out of the car with Falcone in the first place.   
"My friend."  
"My good friend, today is a sad day. Nikolai was like a son to me. Just as Frankie was a son to you. We've both lost precious family members. My condolences to you."  
"And mine to you." Maroni looked past Falcone, "hello Isa."   
"Maroni." She said in a sing-song voice. Maroni turned back to Falcone.  
"I want this violence to stop. Business is good." Falcone said, Isa felt Victor's hand on her thigh, she smiled, "fall back, hot stuff. Falcone is standing right there." He moved his hand, Isa turned her attention to Falcone and Maroni again.  
"Wayne Enterprises is back in play. Life is good for all of us. Why risk all of that to go to war over trifles? Your little man there is obviously very valuable to you. We'll let you have him, unharmed. Our gift to you. And as a show of mutual respect, you give us something in return."   
"Like such as what?"  
"How about real estate? One of your warehouses on the river maybe."   
"That's not gonna work. I mean I like this fella, but we're talking about a warehouse on the river."   
Oswald walked to whisper something to Maroni.   
"Indian Hill. I'll give you Indian Hill."   
"I'm not familiar with the name."  
"Its in Arkham. Its a toxic waste dump on an Indian burial ground, its worthless." Fish said.   
"No, nothing is worthless. Even nothing is worth something. We'll take it. As a token of our mutual respect, yes?"   
"You got it, my friend. Its all love." They hug. "Its a pleasure seeing you all, um, I heard Vic Zsasz tore up the GCPD tracking down Gordon. Did you catch him yet?"   
"We're working on it."  
"Well good luck with that, theres nothing more dangerous then an honest man, huh?" Isa's phone rang, "hey Ed? Yeah, I'll be right there." She turned to Falcone. "I gotta go, Ed and I hang out Saturday's."   
"I'll drive you."   
"Thank you." They got in the car. 

Ed passed Isa another beer and she told him what happened at the pier.   
"So your families are at peace?"  
"For now it seems like." Earlier Ed rolled out his tv from the closet, currently they were watching King Of New York.   
"You need a bigger place." She said.   
"I know, when I can afford one."   
She turned her attention back to the movie. "Christopher Walken is kinda hot in this movie."   
"And your kinda drunk."   
"I've only had three beers."  
"Ever heard of beer goggles?"  
"Shut up." 

 

Ed stayed sober and drove her home, she went straight to bed and woke up late morning. It was Sunday so she kept her pjs on, tank top, plaid sleep shorts, slipper boots and a robe. When she walked into the kitchen, Liza was baking, Victor was standing around and there was a blonde woman sitting in a chair with her wrists tied. "Who's this?"   
"Barbara Kean." She rushed out.   
"Isa Kapelput."   
Liza's timer went off and she took the muffins out of the oven.   
"Those muffins smell good." Victor said.   
"None for you, creep." She put them on the table. "She can have one if she wants." Liza said, referring to Barbara.   
"What kind are they?" Isa asked, "Falcone asked me to make blueberry."  
"Oh my favourite." She took one from the tray, ignoring the burning feeling on her fingertips. Victor's phone starts ringing, Isa smiles, "Funkytown? You're so cute." She teased, he looks at her dangerously and answers his phone, "got it." He puts it back in his jacket. "What a shame." Victor grabbed Barbara and walked her to the room where Falcone was reading his paper, Isa followed eating a second muffin.   
"Okay so he wasn't bluffing. Hey Isa."  
"Harvey."   
"Isa?"  
"Hey Jim."   
"What are you doing here?"   
"I live here."   
"How are the muffins?" Falcone asked.   
"They're good, Barbara didn't want one."   
Jim stood up.   
"I'm sorry if she was mistreated a little, we needed to be sure she had nothing valuable to tell us. Untie her Victor." He undid the rope and Barbara went to Jim. "I'm sorry."   
"Its okay, its okay."   
Falcone thought for a moment. "What am I going to do with you? By rights you have to die. Isa could file it as accidental."  
"Whoa, hello. Um, I'm late for work. Quite an adventure, I'll be on my way." Mayor James left.   
"Such a waste though. Gotham needs more men like you. Both of you. Strong men with principles. I wish I could make you see I'm not the enemy. They system is not the enemy. The enemy is anarchy. But I told you that before, didn't I, Jim?"   
"Yes you did."   
"You didn't listen though."  
"Do we get a last meal or a smoke or anything? Or just talk?"   
"But today, you believed me. You trusted my word, that's a good first step. Perhaps there's still hope for you." Theres a heavy pause. "Yes, go, get out of here before I change my mind."  
"Wait a minute-"  
"Quiet. Its been a pleasure, Barbara. I do admire a brave woman."  
"Whats the catch?" Jim asked.   
"He said we could go, lets not haggle here."  
"Whats the catch Mr. Falcone?"  
"I want you to think about what I said. I want you to understand the truth. That's all I ask. The catch is, someday soon, you'll see I'm right."  
They left the manor.   
"Any plans for the day, my dear?" Falcone asked, sitting down.   
"I'm going to walk Odette before it rains, dance maybe, then have myself a little spa day, maybe watch a movie, and I asked Liza to make us stew for dinner, I feel like something warm."   
Falcone nodded, "I'll look forward to this evening then."   
Isa smiled and left the room. The walk turned into a jog. She remembered her Odile variation and danced but it seemed strange to dance like that to fleetwood mac. And the spa day was just that if you add a few rounds of sex with Victor. 

When dinner arrived Isa didn't have to worry about getting dressed up because it was just the two of them.   
"So, tell me my dear, how long have you been seeing Victor?"  
"Carmine?"  
"Don't play dumb, nothing in my house happens without me knowing about it. How long?"  
"A few months."   
"He's a good match for you. And with you two being together, he'll protect you before I can give the order."   
"So you're not upset?"   
Falcone grabbed her hand. "No, of course not, my dear."   
They went back to dinner.   
"So tell me how things have been at work."   
She tells him stories but skips the gory details, they are eating after all.   
Victor crawled into bed with her that night, but didn't do much except wrap his arm around her waist and pulled her too him protectively. "I like you." He said.   
Isa smiled, "I like you too, does this mean we're exclusive now?"   
"I'll have to think on it."   
She smiled and curled up against him. 

She woke up to her phone ringing. "No." she groaned, she slammed her hand down on the bedside table, searching for her phone, she groaned into the phone and heard Bullock laugh, "we need you to come in, you're going to love this case." Isa sighed, "I'm kind of being held down right now, I'll come in when I can escape." She shut the phone.  
"What?" Victor mumbled, his eyes half open.   
"Work." She tapped his arm. "Come on, I need to get up."  
"No."   
"Yes."   
Victor sat up and pinned her wrists down. "No." Isa laughed, "if I have a quickie with you, will you let me go to work?"   
Victor smirked and kissed her neck.   
"I think that's a yes." She laughed when he tossed the comforter off the bed. 

Victor watched her get ready, "I love those skirts."   
"You love them because they're tight and show off my ass."   
He smiled, "is there any other reason to love them."   
Isa felt like visiting her friend Yves Saint Laurent, she picked up her LouLou Mary Janes and sat down on the bed to put them on.   
"You have a lot of shoes."  
"I also have a lot of clothes to go with them." She stood up and he followed, wrapping his arms around her. "I'll see you tonight."  
"You better, or I'll have to come get you."   
She kissed him and grabbed her purse before leaving. Isa walked into the precinct latte in hand, she walked back to her office/lab.  
"What have we got?" Ed showed her his notes and the evidence. "Oh, office fight huh? Didn't we have a guy a while ago who had index cards down his throat?"  
"Yes."   
"What do you want me to do?"  
"Could you examine this black ink to see if its printer toner, like I thought. I'll go see if I can pull anymore evidence from the body."   
"You know Guerra doesn't like us snooping around the bodies." He left, "Ed?"   
She sighed and examined the ink, it was Printer toner, like Ed thought. Ed came back and looked angry.   
"Got caught?"  
"Yes."  
"Well you'll be happy to know that the black ink is in fact printer toner."   
"Great, lets go tell Essen."   
"I also did some digging, and three more, killed with office supplies." 

"So what's happening with you and, Victor?" Ed asked on the way to Essen's office.   
"He said he likes me."  
"Uh-huh."  
"And I said I like him."  
"Uh-huh." Ed said, his smile growing bigger.  
"We aren't exclusively together yet but I think it might happen soon."   
They walk into Essen's office.  
"Yes, Ed? Isa?"  
"Printer toner."   
"Do you know what he's talking about?"   
Ed sat down beside Bullock. "The medical examiners report said it was black ink, but I did my own exam, had Isa double check, and it was printer toner. Also I pulled staples from his shoulders, and found graphite chips between his ribs."  
Isa heard her phone go off and she flipped it open, "yes, its just us." The message said, Isa smiled and closed her phone.   
"Your man was killed in an office." Ed continued.   
"Yeah, we're kind of past that, Ed. But thanks." Bullock got up and walked to the door.   
"Is there something else?"  
"Yes, it made me think of a case from a year ago. Young man, business suit, esophagus lacerated from index cards shoved down his throat. So we did some digging-"  
"How many were killed with office supplies?"  
"Four, in the last three years."  
"Get that man to sign a confession. Now."   
"I think we have a problem." Isa went over to the door to see what Bullock was looking at, there was a lawyer, and what Isa assumed to be the thumbless guys lawyer.   
Ed dragged Isa to the break room for some coffee. 

 

She went home that night in the early hours of the morning but when she walked into the kitchen Victor was sitting there with coffee. "You made it out alive." He joked, Isa laughed, "I work in forensics, I'm stuck in a little corner all day unless I have something to share or I have a field day. That doesn't constitute as making it out alive." She grabbed a mug and sighed contently at the coffee. Victor put his arms around her waist and head on her shoulder. "Do you have to go back soon?"  
"Most likely." She leaned into him.   
"Well then we should make this quick." He put the mug down and hoisted her onto his shoulder, carrying her upstairs.

She went to work in the morning, Ed was up talking to Gordon and Bullock, she walked up the stairs right as the detectives were leaving.   
"Tell me no one got murdered today, I'm not in the mood for that."  
"No, just a bomber was broke out from blackgate."   
"Good, slow day." 

Ed disappeared but Isa found him in their lab playing with batteries and listening to the radio.   
"Next, how many elements in the periodic table?"  
"118." Ed answered before the boy could.   
"Uh, 118."   
"Yes, again. Now for a tough one, how many eyes are there on cards in a deck?"  
"42." Isa answered, Ed turned the radio down.   
"Hey, how long were you standing there?"  
"Not long. And Eddie, that's a game show for children." She went around to the other side of the table. "Anyway, what are you doing?"  
"I'm trying to replicate the explosive compound found in Hargrove's bomb."   
"Any luck?"  
"Not yet, but I remain hopeful." He continued to play around with wires. "So, tell me about Victor? This is the longest relationship you've ever been in."  
"Thats not true."  
"Yes it is, whenever theres talk of commitment you break things off, like with Marsha, Tom, Mark, Allen, Olivia, Sonja, Alex, Ashley, Jane, Chris, Gustav..."  
"Okay! Okay, I see your point, something's just different about Victor." She picked up a circuit board. "I feel like he can deal with my issues."  
"Of abandonment-"  
"Among other things."   
Ed twists something and theres a mild explosive reaction, Isa ducks down, meanwhile Ed is excited. He picked up the iron block, theres a hole in the centre.  
Isa tagged along while he told Gordon and Bullock.   
"What about the explosives?"  
"Its a very specific type. Its highly volatile and its very difficult to manufacture. Its for one use and one use only." He showed them the block. "To penetrate iron."  
"Like a vault in a bank."  
"No they're all steel. No one makes anything out of iron anymore. Not for a hundred years at least."  
"The Gotham armoury."   
"Yeah, they have those iron vaults they used to keep the gunpowder in."  
"A few years ago a private investment group bought it."   
"Ten to one Falcones behind it."   
They walked away.  

 

Victor took Isa out on a date with quickly turned into he needed a cover on a hit, which Isa didn't mind watching, she did flinch at Victor taking a box cutter to his skin. 

Isa didn't have work the next day so she had a lazy one but eventually Odette came over to the couch with her leash. "You wanna go for a walk?" She barked. "Okay, come on, old girl." Isa put on her sneakers and went to tell Falcone that she was taking Odette out, but felt awkward because he was talking to Oswald Cobblepot, who just smiled at her, like he knew something she didn't.   
"Yes, my dear?" Falcone asked.   
"I'm taking Odette for a walk."   
He nodded and she left. 

Isa was worried about Odette, she was 12 already but seemed in good health, but how long would that last?   
They walked around the estate for a while before going back inside.   
Falcone announced that he was going to have the family over for dinner. Isa sighed, that means she had to dress nice. 

She sat at the table when Falcone pulled out a gun and shot Bannion, startling everyone, his head went into the bowl of pasta in front of him.   
"Forgive me for shocking you, but let me give you some context here. I love Bannion, we came up together. But he was supposed to guard the armoury and he didn't. And maybe, just maybe, he looked the other way. I don't know." He started walking around the table. "So what do I do? Let it lie?"  
"Boss, we understand." Saviano said.   
"Whoever else was involved, will very soon wish they could die quickly like Bannion."   
Isa noticed how uneasy Fish looked but kept her cool.   
"In the meantime, all of us must do what's right for the family. Each of your tariffs will increase 25 percent until we've built the reserves again."  
"No disrespect, that's high."   
"A little bit."   
"What do you think Fish, am I being fair?"  
"We're family, we sink or swim together."  
"You could all learn from Fish, she trusts me. Trust me and I'll trust you, it goes both ways. Lets eat." 

 

Isa came out of the bathroom in a huff and crawled into bed, she kissed Victor's chest and sat up. "Don't you have an apartment?"  
"Yes."  
"Then why do you sleep in my bed every night? Well the nights where your not working."   
He smiled and grabbed her arm, to pull her close to him. "Because I like you." She buried her head in the crook of his neck.  
"I like you."   
Isa's phone rang.   
"Work?"  
"Yup." She sighed and answered her phone. "Got it."   
"What happened?"  
Isa got dressed. "Body found in Gotham river."   
"Sounds..."  
"Fun, I'll be back either in the morning or afternoon." She kissed him and left. 

When she got to the river they had the body pulled up on the grass, it was bloated and looked like it had been in the water for a few days, someone was waiting for her to examine the body before writing things down. "Male, approximately 56 in age, height, 1.80m, I'd say before bloat, 250lbs. Cause of death, the bullet wound on his forehead, he's been in the river for a week tops."   
She stood up and brushed the mud off her knees, this was a mob hit, not Falcone's, Maroni's. Victor wouldn't point blank shoot him in the head like that, nor would Connor. Isa didn't have to cover this up.   
"Give this to Alvarez." 

She drove back to the precinct and set up in the lab.   
"We're called to the front, grab the projector." Ed said she wheeled it out and they set it up.   
"Aaron Danzig, 6'4, 225, mental age of a young child. We believe he's under the control of this man." Ed changed slides. "Jack Gruber. In Arkham off a rape-murder beef. We cant find any records on Gruber prior to his incarceration. So we're guessing Gruber is an alias. We're sending his prints nationwide, until we can find another name. Whoever he is, he's clever and angry and a grave public menace. The commissioner is deeply concerned and he is on his way here, to talk to all of you, right now. You know what that means, and you know-Jim?"  
Isa turns her head.   
"Captain."   
"Hey, partner."  
"Hi."  
"Your out of your jurisdiction."  
"Captain this is my case."  
"Jim, you need to get out of here."   
"My case." He insisted.   
"No, no, no. The captains right. You need to leave before the commissioner gets here. Because he holds you responsible for all thus and-oh fudge. He's here, and you're there. Side step."   
The commissioner walked through the door and Bullock hid Jim.   
"Captain Essen."   
"Good morning, Commissioner."   
"Officer Gordon, isn't it?"  
"Yes, sir."  
"Why are you here?"  
"I have a better question. Why are you here, commissioner?"  
"Excuse me?"  
"This is the first I've seen you down here with rank and file. You must be desperate."  
"Follow me." 

 

Isa walked into Essen's office.   
"Yes, what can I do for you? I never really see you without Ed." Isa smiled, "Falcone called me, he needs me at home."  
"Alright."  
Isa nodded and left. 

 

She walked through the door. "Carmine?"   
"In here." He called from his sitting room, she walked in and knelt beside his arm chair. "What's wrong?"  
"Somebody took Liza."   
"What? Why? Who would take Liza?"   
"I'm not sure, I called Cobblepot, he should be here soon."   
Isa nodded and stood up, "I'll make tea."   
"Thank you, my dear." She left for the kitchen.


	6. Chapter Six

Oswald was hours late. But Isa knew it had to be Fish who'd taken Liza. "I've been concerned about Fish's loyalty for years, what if she took Liza to get you to step down?" She had said.   
Isa went for a run before sitting with Falcone and Victor grew impatient. Isa handed Falcone a drink. "Thank you." She nodded and sat down.   
"Sir, let me go to work."  
"No."  
"No?"  
"If Fish and the others-there must be others. If they all want me to step away so badly, maybe its time. Why not? Why am I still here fighting? For what?"  
Victor moved to stand in front of him, blocking the view from the fireplace.   
"For respect. You're Don Carmine Falcone."   
"Respect? Who cares?" He picked up the flower. "They all want me to go live in the country with Liza. I would like that. That's what I want too. So why not do it?"   
Victor curled his hands into fists, "please don't talk that way, sir. Just me on my own. I can take out Fish's crew easy."   
"Your not listening Victor. Your job is to keep me, Liza and most importantly Isa safe, through the coming transaction. That's all."   
"Yes, sir."   
They waited for Oswald.   
"Isa, my dear, could you play O Mio Babbino Caro, for me please?"   
"Of course." She went over to put on the record. Victor sighed, "hush young man, I can hear you sigh."   
"Sorry sir."  
Oswald showed up shortly after. Victor walked right up to him, "let him be." He walked around to stand behind Falcone's armchair, Oswald knelt on the ground. "Its good to see you, old friend."   
"I am so sorry it took me so long to get here. Such a day I've had. I wont even tell you. But I'm here."  
"You were right about Fish. Its her that's taken Liza."   
"Sir, allow me. I must tell you what I've discovered. Your not going to want to hear this."  
"Speak."  
"Liza was planted on you by Fish."   
Falcone sat up in his chair.   
"She belongs to Fish. This was a setup from the start. She found a girl who looked just like your mother and trained her to-" he was slapped.   
"No."  
"I'm sorry."  
"Prove that."  
"How? I cant, I just know."   
"You're wrong."  
"When have I been wrong?"  
The phone rings and Falcone answers.   
"Hello, Fish. Yes, is she there? Is Liza there now? Can I speak to her? What time? I'll be there."   
They got ready to leave, Isa just kept on her running clothes and got into the car with Falcone. He goes in alone and they wait outside.   
"Isabel." Oswald said, she looks at him with wide eyes.   
"Don't call me that."   
"But that is your name, is it not? Isabel, Millicent, Kapelput." He put extra emphasis on her last name. He reached into his coat pocket and handed her folded up paper.   
"You're mother is Gertrud Kapelput and you're father is Oscar Nordin. You were born December 24th at 1: 33am."   
Isa was confused, "why would you go through the trouble of finding out who I am?"   
"Because, I'm your brother." He said, in full confidence, Isa just laughed nervously. "Bullshit."   
"I spoke to my mother about you, she put you up because she couldn't care for you, after she put you up, you're father moved back to Sweden."   
"Why did she put me up but...keep you?"  
"I was older, around 4 maybe. Mother told me you were an angel baby, but as I grew older I had a feeling you were out there somewhere. And lo and behold, I find you working at the GCPD. You look just like mother."   
"Oh you are full of such shit, Cobblepot."   
"Ask yourself, honestly? Don't we look the slightest bit alike? Our nose? Eye colour?"   
Isa just laughed, her head was spinning and she started to cry. "Your my...we're...."   
"You can come out now." They heard from inside the club. Oswald opened the door and stepped in. Isa stood there and opened the papers, her birth certificate, adoption papers that her mother and father signed and pictures of their faces, looking at her mother was like looking into a mirror, except she had her fathers lips. Her tears turned from ones of confusion to happy ones. She knew who she was now, who her family was.   
She waited for them to leave, Victor saw the dried tears on her face, "are you okay?"   
Isa just smiled, "I have a family." She said. Victor smiled in his weird way and kissed her temple, they got into the car.   
She walked into work that morning with a pip in her step.   
"Someone's in a good mood." Ed said handing her a latte as he did most mornings.   
"I know who my parents are now."   
She told him the whole story.   
They were called upon.   
"A murder? In the precinct?" Isa said, the two of them examined the body while photos were taken, Isa moved the shirt with tweezers to get a better look at the stab wounds, "do those look the same to you like they do to me?"  
"Ice pick?"  
"My thoughts exactly."   
"How the hell did this happen?" Gordon asked Bullock when he walked in the room.   
"Security cameras inside and outside were turned off."  
"You got any thoughts on the weapon?"  
"Whats strong enough to smash ships but still fears the sun?"  
"Can it with the riddles, Ed. I don't have the patience today or any day."   
"Ice."   
"Correct, gauging by the small circumference of the wounds, the weapon was an ice pick. Carbon steel, six inches long. Driven in deep enough, that it marked the surrounding tissue with an imprint of a distinctive hexagonal handle. Its not your standard kitchen fare. Fun fact, gentlemen, Mr. Winklers wounds are the same as the wounds on the victim this morning."  
"The drug dealer? Littlefield?"  
"Him. Same weapon. Same killer. One would suppose."   
"Damn it, right in our house." 

 

Ed and Isa walked by the Record Annex where Miss Kringle appeared to be looking through a pile of files, he turned to walk inside the room. "Ed...Ed." Isa whispered but stood in the doorway.   
He stopped right in front of the woman and she gasped audibly.   
"Can I help you with something?"  
"Did you know Miss Kringle..." he pulled an envelope out of his pocket, Isa blinked and looked at him oddly, when did he grab that?   
"...that the earliest greeting cards dated back to Germany in the 1400s?"  
"I have a lot of work to do."  
"This is for you."   
"Doesn't say anything weird does it?"   
"No, ma'am."   
She grabbed the card and went to walk towards where Isa was standing but Ed blocked her path and stood up against the file cabinets, Miss Kringle left the room uncomfortable and gave Isa an apologetic smile but she sneered in response, Isa has a distaste for Miss Kringle, always did, sometimes she had the urge to skin the woman alive.   
Ed followed after a minute.   
"Coffee?"  
"Please." 

 

In the early evening Isa went home after Ed insisted he could handle things.  
She got a call from a number she didn't recognize.   
"Hello."  
"Meet me at Fish's night club in an hour."  
"Who is this?"  
"Its Oswald."   
Isa sighed, "and why should I meet you?"   
"Because we're family, and I have a surprise for you."   
"Fine, let me get dressed." She flipped the phone shut and walked into her closet.   
Isa wore a gold leather mini-skirt, white long sleeve wrap blouse, and tied gold chunky heels. She kept her hair curly and redid her makeup in soft neutrals.   
Isa made sure she had her keys, purse and phone before grabbing by jacket and driving to Fish's. 

When she arrived Oswald was talking to an older woman in vintage clothing, her hair was as curly as hers. Gertrud laughed at something Oswald said.   
She cleared her throat to snag their attention, Isa took off her coat and placed it on the bar.   
"Isa." Oswald greeted and limped towards her, her heels allowed her to look over his hair enough to still stare at the woman.   
"You said you had a surprise for me?"   
He clapped his hands. "Yes," he turned towards the woman with a smile, "mother! Meet Isabel."   
"Isa." She corrected.   
"Isa meet our mother."   
Isa was at a loss for words, she just stared at the woman with wide eyes and mouth open.   
"I....I uh...." she turned to Oswald, "you weren't joking."   
"Why would I joke?"   
"Oh my god." Isa breathed and ran her fingers through her hair and fluffed it. She felt tears brimming in her eyes and turned away from the pair to breathe, she turned back with red eyes.   
"Mum?"   
Gertrud smiled, "hello liebchen. At last we meet."   
Isa stumbled towards the woman. Her mother gathered the slender woman in her arms and they hugged and cried.   
Oswald put a hand on Isa's shoulder after a while. "Come, let us have a drink."   
Isa nodded and they sat at a table.   
"So, tell me, what do you do?"  
"I work at the police department, as a forensic scientist."   
"Oh! Look at you, so smart, but, you are so skinny." She said grabbing her arm.   
"I dance."   
Her mothers eyes lit up, "I used to dance!" She whispered excitedly in her thick accent. "Ballroom."  
"Ballet."  
Oswald chuckled, "how about that."   
"Do you have anyone in your life? Where do you live? Spare no details! I must know everything."   
"I am currently in a relationship, and I still live with my adopted father."   
"With who? And who adopted my little girl?"  
"His name is Victor and Oswald knows him actually."   
Gertrud gasped, "do you? Is he a good man?"  
"Yes." Oswald lied, "the best."  
Gertrud smiled happily.   
They talked for hours, Isa told her about how Falcone saw her playing with the other children (a lie) and decided to adopt, she went to Anders Academy, started to take ballet classes, joined the ballet program at university, graduated a year early, got a job at a lab and now works at the GCPD with her best friend Edward Nygma.   
At some point in the night Gertrud decided to teach Gabe how to dance and Isa watched with drink in hand.   
"Thank you, for lying about Victor."   
Oswald smiled, "we're family."   
Her phone rang. "Hello? Hey Eddie."   
They stopped their dance and Isa turned around to finish her conversation.   
"I thought you said you could handle it on your own."   
She sighed.   
"Fine, I'll come look it over."   
She snapped her phone shut. "I gotta go, work."   
"Oh, must you go so soon?" Gertrud grabbed Isa's hand and she squeezed and gave her mother a smile. "Yes but, I'll visit soon."   
They hugged and Isa grabbed her coat and left.


End file.
